Apparatus for washing the side seams of can bodies



Feb. l5, 1949.

W MCK. MARTIN ET ALv APPARATUS FOR WASHING THE SIDE SEAMS 0F CAN BODIESv Filed Dec.

2'Sheets-Sheet 1 I1. NNQ

Feb. 15, 41949. w. Mok, m1-.N ETAL 4s-1,559

APPARATUS FO( WASHING THE SIDE SEAMS'OF CAN BODIES `IIIII-IIII Passed Feb. 1s, 1949 'UliliTED s 'rArEs PAT-ENT? or l APPARATUS Fon. WASHING sEAMs or CAN non William McK. Martin FICE' Tr m , River Forest, 4Walter, F.

Plllnik, Harvey, and Delbert EfWoblie, Maywood, Ill., assignors to American CanCompany,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of Newl Jersey Application December 13, 1943, .Serial No. 514,124

'z claims. (ci. 134-s2) i The present invention relates to a machine for --soldering the side seams of sheet metal can bodies and has particular reference to devices for machineshown in Fig. 1 along theline 2-2 and showing inside and outside spraying devices; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the broken lines 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the can body washing station in the machine shown in Fig. 1, drawn to an enlarged scale, with parts broken away; A

Fig. 5 is an end view of the washing station shown in Fig. 4 with parts broken away, parts in section; and i Fig. 6 is an under side view of the inside spraying device shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

These operations are performed on the outside 'A of the` can bodies and have no effect upon material which may collect on the seam inside the bodies. In most cases the small quantity of such material left on a can body seam 'is negligible. However, where can bodies are to be used for certain purposes it is desirable to remove every trace of ux from the side seam before other subsequent operations are performed on the bodies.

The instant invention contemplates complete removal of the excess flux on a can body yside seam from inside as well as from outside the body by means of liquid sprays having a high velocity fiuid impeller that scours and washes away the flux and other foreign materials which may become baked or otherwise deposited onto the body as a result of the soldering operation, while the body moves along a path of travel through the sprays.`

An object of the invention is the provision in a machine for soldering the side seams of can up of spaced bars bodies of seam washing devices wherein a spray of a cleaning fluid is directed against the side seams of the can bodies as they pass along a path of travel on a horn of a soldering machine so that excess flux and other foreign material will be washed .off the bodies. i

Another object is the provision of such a washing device wherein the seam on the inside of the body is washed simultaneously with the washing of th-e seam on the outside of the body.

Another object is thenprovision of a washing device of this character wherein the can body parts adjacent the side seam are .protected against the action of the cleaning fluid so that these parts may be kept dry.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the inventionwill be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, takenA in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.n

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1is a longitudinal section of a machine embodying the present invention, with parts broken away;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through a can body washing station in the As a preferred embodiment ofthe present lnvention the drawings illustrate a can body soldering machine for making tubular metallic can bodies and is of the form fully described in the United States Patent No. 1,338,716, issued May 4, 1920, to M. E. Widell. In vthe instant invention previously prepared can bodies A are advanced continuously in a spaced and orderly procession in an outside horn I-I for fluxing and soldering a side seam B, which side seam thereafter is cleaned of excess or unusued flux and of other foreign material.

The outside horn II is of the usual type, made I2 extending longitudinally of the machine. These bars are supported on brackets I3 carried on cross frames I4 secured to side frames 'I5 mounted on a main base I6 (Fig. l). The can bodies A are fed along the horn II and through an initial or fluxing station I1 by an end- II and is at the left 4(as viewed in Fig. 1). This conveyor passes over suitable chain sprockets 23, 24 carried on studs 25 secured in brackets 26, 21. The brackets 26, 21 are supported on an intermediate frame 28 carried on an end frame 32 and side frame I5. The end frame 32 like the side frames I5, is mounted on the main base I6. The conveyor is operated in any suitable manner in time with the other moving parts of the machine, as for example, by way of a connection with a main drive shaft 44 as disclosed in the above mentioned Widell patent. j

As the conveyor I8 advances the can bodies A along the hom II, the bodies pass adjacent a flux pot disposed at the fiuxing station I1. This fluxpot is located beneath the horn II and is with other moving parts of the machine in any suitable manner. This conveyor passes over suitable chain sprockets, the conveyor taking over chain sprockets 54, 55 carriedy on studs 58 in brackets 51 which is secured to one of the side frames I5. The feed fingers 52 extend down be tween the bars I2 of the horn and engage the upper rear edge of the bodies for continuing their advancement along the horn.

Can bodies A moving along the horn |I, now pass through a second or soldering station 58 wherein the uxed side seam is soldered in the usual manner by a solder roll 62 which rotates in a bath of molten solder contained in a reservoir l2 carried on the machine frame.' This solder roll is rotated in the usual manner by connection with the main shaft M.

. Following the soldering of the side seam B the moving can bodies pass through a third or solder wiping station 15. A rotatable wiper wheel 11 located at this station wipes the excess solder from the outside of the side seam B. The wheel is rotated in any suitable manner from the main shaft M as shown in the Widell patent.

Following the solder wiping operation, the moving can bodies now pass through a fourth or can body side seam washing station 88 (Fig. 1). At this station provision is made for simultaneously washing both the inside and the outside of the can bodies at the side seam B with a cleaning fluid to remove the excess or residual flux from the surfaces of the bodies. The cleaning uid used for this purpose preferably consists of a water and steam mixturewhich may be varied in desired proportions to produce substantially wet steam and dry steam. although the invention is equally well adapted for use with water and compressedair or water and gas mixtures, the steam, compressed air, or gas being utilized as high velocity impellers and the impeller being mixed with any other suitable cleaning fluid other than water, if desired. y

` The cleaning fluid is directed against the inside and outside surfaces of the can bodies adjacent the side seam B by an inside spray nozzle unit 92 and outside spray nozzle units 93 (Fig. 2). The outside spray nozzle units 93 are arranged to operate upon a moving can body in advance of the inside spray nozzle unit (see also Fig. 4) and thus will be described first.

There are eight outside spray nozzle units 93 and for the sake of brevity these umts will be referred to broadly as nozzles. The outside nozzles are arranged in two groups of four, one

group being disposed on each side of the horn These spray nozzles or nozzle units may be of the commercial variety and each 'unit comprises a body 94 (Fig. 2) having a channel 95 for incoming steam and an adjacent channel 96 for water. At its outlet or nozzle end, the steam channel 95 communicates with the interior of a substantially horizontal outer nozzle shell 91 which is threaded in the body 9i. The outlet end of the water channel 96 communicates with a chamber A98 formed in the nozzle body and located at the inner end. of an inner nozzle shell |02 threaded in the body inside the outer nozzle shell 91.

The quantity of steam passing through the steam channel 95 and into the outer nozzle shell 91 is regulated by a manually operated injector valve needle |03. Likewise, the quantity of water entering into the inner nozzle shell |02 from the channel 96 is regulated by a manually operated injector valve needle |04.

Hence the amount of water passing throughs.

paratively dry steam composing the cleaning iiuid. The desired mixture of cleaning fluid thus obtained passes through a nozzle opening |06 in the outer `valve shell 91 and is sprayed directly against an advancing can body moving into the washing station 8.8. In this manner a wet steam mixture may be sprayed at high velocity from the leading nozzles proper in each group to dissolve, scour, and dislodge adhering excess flux and other foreign material which may be baked or otherwise Vdeposited on the can body as a result of the solderingoperation while a steam mixture which is not so moist may be sprayed from the remaining nozzles to rinse and even partially dry the moving can body. When compressed air or gas is'used as an impeller for the spray the can surfaces may be completely dried.

Steam for the cleaning fluid is supplied to an inlet end of the steam channel (Fig. 2) of each of the nozzles by pipes |01 which are secured ln the nozzle bodies. These pipes lead from steam manifolds |08. There are two such manifolds, one on each side of the machine and they are suspended vertically from short bars ||2 carried on longitudinal rails |`|3 (Figs. 4 and 5). The rails ||3 are bolted near their ends to cross rails ||4 mounted on channel beams ||5 carried on the machine frames l5. A supply of steam is fed by pipes (I6 to the manifolds |08 from any suitable source of supply.

The water is supplied to the inlet end of the water channels 96 of the nozzle units by pipes ||1 which are secured in the nozzle bodies 94. These pipes lead from water manifolds H8. There are two such manifolds one on each side of the machine adjacent the steam manifolds |08 and these too are suspended vertically from the bars ||2. A supply of water is fed-by pipes |22 to the manifolds ||8 from any suitable source of supply.

Provision is made in the instant invention for D setting the spray nozzles 93 in a predetermined position relative to the can body side seams (Figs. 2, 4 and 5) of the bodies moving along the horn H. For this purpose a swivel mounting |23 is provided for each of these spray units. Each mounting is formed with a concave seat for the reception of a dome-shaped element or washer |24 which is bolted between the mounting |23 and the body 96. The swivel mountings |23 are secured to the longitudinal rails H3.

The inside spray nozzle unit 92 is formed in a block member |30, which may or may not be made in two parts, to facilitate clamping it in position on a tube |32, located inside the horn. The tube |32 extends longitudinally of the machine and back towards the entrance end of the machine to a place where the side seam of the body is still open as is usual in can body manufacture. The .tube at the end in the washing station 88 is supported in a bracket |33 (see also The bracket |33 carries a plurality of support rollers |34 which normally engage against a curved support shoe |35 disposed adiacent the horn and formed at the center of a cross bar |36` (Figs. 4 and 5). The cross bar is secured to the channel beams H5. The tube |32 with the inside spray nozzle unit 92 thus is permitted to oat and provide passage for the can bodies A as they move by and beyond this inside nozzle unit in their advancement along the horn.

Figs. 3 and 6). These grooves provide clearance for the outlet ends of two sets or rows of nozzle l orifices |43, |30.

The orifices |43 open out into the groove |38 |45 formed in the block member I ends of the curved bottom |31, as hereinbefore pletely dry the inside surfaces of the moving can and are spaced comparatively close to each other.- 4

There are ve such orifices and they extend forward, in the direction of travel of the can bodies along the horn, into a transverse channel |44 formed in the block member.

The orifices |45 open out into the groove |42 and are smaller in diameter and are spaced further apart than the orifices |43. In this group there are five orifices |45. In addition and at the two ends of this row of orices are two larger orifices |46L`the latter being of the same diameter as the orifices |43. The orifices |45, |46 extend forward through the block member at an angle and communicate with a transverse channel |41 formed in the member.

The transverse channels |44, |41 have communication with each other by way of a channel |48 and the channel |44 also communicates with dis charge.

an inlet channel |52. One end of the inlet chany nel |52 leads from the open end of a pipe |53 which is secured in the block member |30 (Fig. 3) This pipe extends through the center of the tube from its rear end and where it i nozzle block it dips down through an opening |54 in the tube |32. This is a supply pipe and leads from a suitable source of cleaning fluid, such as water, or the fluid may be a mixture of steam and water.

Hence the cleaning fluid supplied to the nozzle 92 is forced out of the orifices' |43, |45, I 46 in a series of concentrated jets or sprays of the fluid. The jets of fluid from the first set of orifices |43 strike against the inside of the can body at the side seam, as the body is moving past, and dissolve, scour, and remove any adhering excess flux on the inside of the body. As the can body continues its advancement the second series of jets of uid from the second set of orifices |45, |46 strike the body seam. flces are finer and less concentrated while the coarser sprays from the orifices |45 confine the ond set of jets is for the purpose of removing free water and foreign matter remaining on the inside surface of the can body.

Since excess flux on can bodies is confined largely to the region of the side seam, it is de# sirable to direct the cleaning to this region and to keep the remainder of the body dry during the washing operations just described. On`the outside of the can bodies this is done by outside shields or plates |55 (Figs. 2 and 5) disposed on opposite sides of the path of travel of the bodies. These shields protect the major portion of each body from the spray of theoutside nozzles 93. The outside shields may be supported in any suitable manner on the horn bars I2. The body construction of the inside nozzles 92 inherently lends itself to protection of substantially all of the in- .side surface of the can'bodies aoove the opposite The jets from the oricurtain of spray from the finer sprays. This secpasses into the i the outer end bodies. For this purpose a drying head (Figs. 1 and 6) is located adjacent the inside spray nozzle unit 92. The head is threadedly carried on of the tube |32 and is formed with a. sealed chamber which communicates with a fluid impeller pipe |50 which extends back through the tube adjacent the pipe |53 to the source (of impeller. Discharge orifices |50" formed in the head at an angle'to the path of travel of the can bodies along the horn, communicate with the chamber. There are a plurality of these orifices arranged in a circle around the inner face of the head.

Hence the drying fluid, dry steam, compressed air, or.gas as the case may be, supplied to the chamber by way of the pipe |50', issues from the discharge orices |50" and impinges at high velocity against the inside surface of the body and sweeps out any residual droplets of tu e cleaning huid, leaving the surface dry.

Following the washing of the can bodies at the station 88 (Fig. 1) the bodies are in condition for removal from' the instant machine for deposit onto an adjacent machine or other suitable place of This is-eflected by continued movement of the bodies along the horn following .which they are discharged toward the right (as viewed in Fig. 1). t

The used or spent cleaning fluid, excess flux and other waste matter removed from the can bodies at the washing station 88, is held under control against spattering onto adjacent can bodies and parts of the machine by vacuum which draws these waste materials down into a receiving means |56. This receptor is located directly beneath the body horn I (Figs. 2 and 5) and is suspended from the cross rails 4. The vacuum is created in a suction manifold |51 connected to the lower end of the receptor and in turn leading to a suction device or fan |58 (Fig. 1).

The suction device |58 is located beneath the washing station and is supportedA on legs |62 mounted on the main base frame i6. This suction device maybe operated in any suitable manseparator the water, excess flux and other waste departing from the materials are`discharged from the bottom while the air is discharged from a pipe |65 extending upwardly from the separator and leading to a suitable place of exhaust.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparentv that various changes maybe made in the form, cone struction and arrangement of thel parts without spirit and scope of the inven-y tion or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore` described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. In a machine for making tubular sheet metal can bodies each having a soldered side seamjth'e 'f combination of a'support for the soldered can' bodies, means for advancing can bodies along said support, anda spray nozzle member located'adjacent said support for spraying a cleaning fluid y onto the side seams on the interior of the can bodies advanced past and ber for washing from the over said nozzle membodies any excess sol- 'alienate dering flux; and other foreign materials that may adhere to he side seams as a result of a seam soldering o eration, adjacent wall portions of said member constituting a shield disposed contiguous to the inside of the can bodies 'adjacent their side seams for protecting the maior portion of the can bodies against said spray of cleaning fluid/and for limiting the action of the cleaning fluid to the side seam areas of the can bodies.

2. In a machine for making tubular sheet metal can bodies each having a soldered side seam, the combination of a support for the soldered can bodies, and a spray nozzle located adjacent said supportl and having a transverse row of spray orifices, including a plurality of fine spray orifices with a coarse spray orifice disposed at each end of the row for confining a curtain of spray from the fine spray orifices for spraying a cleaning fluid onto the side seams on the inside of can bodies moved past said nozzle for washing from the bodies any excess soldering ux and other foreign materials that may adhere to the side seams as a result of a seam soldering operation.

3. In a machine for making tubular sheet metal can bodies each having a soldered side seam, the combination of a longitudinally disposed horn support foxfthe soldered can bodies, Ia conveyor for advancing said can bodies on their longitudinal axes and while ontheir sides along said support. a plurality of spray nozzles located adjacent said support for spraying a mixture of steam and water onto the side seams exteriorly of the can .bodies advanced past said nozzles, steam and water manifolds connecting with each of said spray nozzles for supplying steam and water separately to the nozzles, and manually operable valve means in each of said nozzles for controlling the amount of steam and water supplied to the nozzles for regulating the mixture of the spray discharged therefrom so that some of the nozzles may be set for a wet mixture to dissolve, scour, and dislodge from the bodies any excess soldering flux and other foreign materials that may adhere to the side seams as a result of .a seam soldering operation, while other of said nozzles may be set for a dryer mixture to rinse and partially dry the washed can bodies.

4. In a machine for making tubular sheet metal can bodies having soldered side seams, the' combination of a longitudinally disposed horn support for the soldered can bodies, means for advancing can bodies on their longitudinal axes while on their sides along said support with their side seams disposed and maintained in predetermined position, a spray nozzle disposed laterally of said support for spraying a mixed cleaning 'fluid onto the side seams exteriorly of the can bodies moved vpast said nozzle for washing from the bodies any excess soldering flux and other foreign materials that may adhere to the side seams as a result of a seam soldering operation, a receptor disposed below said nozzle for receiving the used cleaning fluid as it drains from the sprayed bodies, a suction manifold leading from said receptor, a suction device connecting with said manifold for drawing the used cleaning fluid into and laway from said receptor, and'a separator connecting with said suction device for separately `discharging the constituents of the spent cleaning fluid.

5. In a machine for making tubular can bodies having soldered side seams, the combination of a longitudinally disposed horn support for the soldered can bodies, a conveyor for advancing the can bodies on their longitudinal sheet metal axes along said horn support with their side seams at the bottom, and a plurality of spray nozzles located in a plane below said support and disposed on opposite sides of the pathof travel oi the advancing can bodies and in the horizontal plane of the side seams thereof, said nozzles being arranged at an angle to said path of travel for more effectively spraying a cleaning iiuid onto the side seams on the outside of can bodies moved support with their side seams disposed and main' tained in predetermined position, and a spray nozzle located adjacent said support and having a plurality of rows of spray orifices, the orices of one row being of a different size from those of another row for spraying a fluid onto the side seams on the inside of can bodies moved past said nozzle, the fluid` from the row of larger spray orifices serving to dissolve, scour and vremove from the can bodies any excess soldering flux and other foreign materials that may adhere to` the side seams as a result of a seam soldering operation, and the fluid from the row of smaller spray orices serving to rinse of! the cleaned can bodies with a finer sharper spray.

'7. In a machine for making tubular sheet metal can bodies having soldered side seams, the combination ora longitudinally disposed support having means for advancing the freshly' soldered can bodies on'their longitudinal axes -therealong with their side seams disposed in predetermined position, a spray nozzle located at one 'side of said support for spraying a cleaning fluid onto A body side seams moved' past said nozzle for washing from the bodiesl excess soldering flux and solder particles ad` the exterior of the can hering to the side seams as the result of the seam soldering operation', and a shield on said support adjacent said spray nozzle for restricting the application of the cleaning fluid spray to .the

side seams of the advancing can bodies to protect the major surface of the can bodiesfrom contact with the cleaning fluid, said shield extending along the length of and in close proximity to the can body.

W. MoK. WALTER F. PlIlLlLNIK.- DELBERT E. WOBBE.'

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the" file of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 9 l UNITED sm'ms PA'rEN'rs Number Number Name um 1,652,654 womnger e151 1:66.19, 1927 of 1,687,791 Puce oct. 16, 1928 2,3 138 1,780,348 Ansuss 061.10.1929 5 232"986 1,768,887 chase et a1 .my 1, 1996 1,810,511 womnger June 16, 1931 Number 1,871,666 nanas Aug. 1 6, 1932 286 522 2,665,466 Hom nec. 22, 1966 2,067,838

canon --.191212, 1937 1 Name Date Jones Jan. 30, 1940 Arey et al Oct. 1, 1940 Bard Nov, 10, 1942 Bach Aug. 31, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS vCountry Date Great Britain Mar. 8, 1928 

